One of the biggest misconceptions Africans have about themselves—and by extension, African entrepreneurs—is that something is only "good enough" if it’s cheap or free. This mindset has long limited the growth of local businesses and stifled innovation across the continent.
We often find ourselves willing to spend exorbitant amounts on imported goods simply because they carry a recognized international brand name.
But why is it that when local entrepreneurs create something of equal or even better quality, the first reaction is often skepticism, criticism, or bargaining for the lowest price? Why do we devalue what comes from our own soil?
This misconception is not just about economics—it’s about mindset. It’s about believing that excellence can come from within, that African brands can be world-class, and that supporting them means investing in the continent’s future.
I just deleted 147 cold emails without reading them. Here’s what they all got wrong:
Every morning, my inbox looks the same. A flood of pitches from people trying to sell me something. Most days, I just mass delete them.
But this morning, I decided to actually read through them first.
Within 5 minutes, I spotted a pattern. Everyone was making the exact same mistake. They were all trying to close the deal. ALL IN THE FIRST MESSAGE 🥵
Let me show you what I mean (with two small examples):
APPROACH A: "The Wall of Text"
Send 100 cold emails with full pitch, calendar link, and case studies.
• 3 people open
• 0 responses
• 0 intros
This looks exactly like the 147 emails I just deleted
"Hi [Name], I noticed your company is scaling fast! We help companies like yours optimize their marketing stack through our proprietary AI technology. Our clients see 300% ROI within 90 days. Here's my Calendly link to book a 15-min chat: [LINK]. Looking forward to connecting! Best, [Name]" BORING!!!
APPROACH B: "Micro Conversations"
Same 100 prospects, broken down into micro-convo's.
Email 1: "Do you know [mutual connection]?"
• Send 100
• ~40 open
• ~20 respond
Email 2: "They mentioned you're scaling your marketing team. I'd love to connect about [specific thing]."
• Send to 20 who responded
• ~15 continue engaging
Email 3: "Would you mind if they made an intro?"
• Ask 15 engaged prospects
• ~10 intros
Final score:
• Approach A: No intros
• Approach B: 10 intros
How to Apply These Lessons (Tactical Summary):
1. Focus on Micro-Conversations: Break your cold outreach into smaller, manageable steps. Build rapport before making any asks.
2. Personalize Everything: Reference mutual connections, specific company milestones, or shared interests in every message.
3. Play the Long Game: Aim for replies in the first message.. not conversions.
If you’ve been struggling with cold outreach, you might just need a new approach.
Give this one a try and lmk how it goes.
𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯-𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥?
Yes. Without thinking twice, yes!
The world was not designed for women. Not in the cars we drive. Not in the phones we hold. Not even in the way we plan cities.
For decades, the gold-standard crash-test dummy was modelled on a 5′9″, 171-lb male body. The global average woman, at about 5′3″ and 137 lb, is far smaller - yet safety tests still rely on male defaults, putting women at greater risk in real-world crashes.
This means that:
1. Women are 17% more likely to die and
2. 47% more likely to be seriously injured in a crash
All because the ergonomics weren’t designed with them in mind.
Also, as per the WEF report, it’s shocking but only 5% of R&D funding in the healthcare sector is spent on women’s health needs globally, despite women making up 50% of the population.
From medicines to AI, a lot of products and services were tested and trained on males.
It’s a pattern in how the world is built.
Male is the default. Products, systems, and policies that are less safe, less effective, and less accessible for women.
In India, women didn’t have equal property rights until the Hindu Succession Act of 1956, and it was only in 2005 that daughters were given equal inheritance rights as sons.
Globally, women are expected to control $5 trillion in assets in the near future. For the first time in history, women are becoming primary decision-makers for major financial choices.
And yet, most products and services still treat women as an afterthought.
Women influence over 80% of global consumer spending, yet while they’ve been relentlessly marketed to, they’ve rarely been truly designed for.
Femtech is often misunderstood as “women-only” products. But in reality, it’s about intentional design for women’s needs, whether that’s a wealth management app tailored for first-time female investors, healthcare platforms reimagining maternal care, or everyday products built for different body types and lifestyles.
This harsh reality points to a larger opportunity:
• Move beyond token pink packaging and actually solve for women’s lived realities.
• Build personalised, curated experiences that reflect women’s independence and decision-making power.
• Rethink how we design, from finance to transport to healthcare.
As Caroline Criado Perez wrote in the book Invisible Women: “When we exclude half of humanity from the design process, we also lose half of the potential solutions.”
The question lingers: Will the next decade of innovation still make women adapt to the world, or will we finally design a world that adapts to women?
Video Source: World Economic Forum#Innovation#Startup#Women
Experiences over Products, the Gen Z way.
For Gen Z, luxury isn’t about the product in a box, it’s about the story they can live, share, and post. Experiences now define status, fueling demand for exclusive events, pop-ups, and limited-edition drops that feel like moments, not merchandise.
+71% of Gen Z would rather spend on an experience than on a product.
+75% of Gen Z beauty consumers say a brand’s values and storytelling shape their choices.
>>Experience over product <<
This generation wants to be sold a feeling, not a SKU. A life-changing vibe beats a logo every time.
+43% higher engagement & sales when brands deliver limited drops and collab-driven experiences.
+58% of Gen Z prefer interactive retail, pop-ups, AR try-ons, in-store activations, over traditional counters.
>>Decline of traditional brand loyalty <<
Only +22% of Gen Z beauty consumers call themselves loyal to a single brand. Instead, experience-driven loyalty programs outperform point-based systems by 2.5x.
They’re not moved by heritage or name recognition. What hooks them? Dynamic experiences, emotional storytelling, and cultural relevance. Loyalty today is built through access, exclusive invites, immersive content, and rewards that feel personal.
>>Strategic Takeaways<<
Don’t just sell products, design moments, for this generation, the experience IS the luxury.
+Use pop-ups, gamified storytelling & social sharing, retail is a playground.
+Launch collabs, turning drops into cultural events.
+Elevate reality with AR try-ons & interactive packaging.
+Build community with invite-only drops & fan experiences, creating shareable packaging & moments.
Featured Brands:
Chanel Beauty
Fenty Beauty
Glossier
Gucci
Miu Miu
Louis Vuitton
Rhode
Skims
Simihaze beauty
#beautypackaging#beautybusiness#beautyprofessionals#experienceretail#luxuryexperiences#genz
We talk a lot about how brands can connect to women. But here’s where I think the conversation goes wrong: Women are not one group of like-minded consumers. The category of “women” comprises 4 billion people with different preferences, professions, purchasing habits, and personal lives.
So how can brands connect with women? Authenticity. I'm talking about the kind of authenticity that comes from truly understanding, representing, and serving the people your brand reaches.
Why does this matter? Let's look at the numbers first:
• Women are overseeing $32 trillion in spending globally.
• By 2028, 75% of discretionary spending will be controlled by women.
These aren't just statistics—they're a wake-up call for brands trying to connect with women. Brands historically miss the mark when they focus on women as "consumers," rather than as people.
Take Dove's work with the CROWN Act, a movement and legislation aimed at prohibiting race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools. By bringing attention to how women of color—particularly Black women—have historically been told how to wear their hair at work, Dove drove meaningful change that extended far beyond marketing.
The result for Dove (and its parent company Unilever) hasn't just been products sold, but actual legislative change—all because they stood for something that impacts the day-to-day life of their consumers.
The key to the consumer paradigm: You cannot effectively serve women if you don't represent them at every level of your organization.
Women continue to hold relatively few leadership positions in industries primarily serving women. The fashion and beauty industries, for example, are dominated by male leadership.
When brands get it right, it shows. A few examples? FERRAGAMO appointed a female CEO back in 1960—long before it was trending—and that commitment to women in leadership has been woven into their DNA ever since. It’s not a campaign. It’s who they are. Or formula company Bobbie, which doesn’t just have consumers, they have devoted brand ambassadors, families, and loyal subscribers. True representation isn't about optics—it's about women making decisions at all levels—from product development to marketing to the C-suite.
Maybe we need to retire the word "consumer" altogether. Because if we're talking about real, authentic connections, shouldn't we instead be focusing on people as human beings.
It's no longer about thinking what you “should” create to get them to buy—it's about genuinely making that woman’s life better because you know exactly who she is. And your company’s leadership reflects that.
This will ruffle some feathers.
But it's more timely than ever:
Individual actions won't solve the climate crisis.
I am tired of this: "Top 10 individual actions to reduce your climate impact".
Yeah sure, take a cold shower. Congrats. You saved the planet.
Deflection is Big Oil's favorite PR stunt.
Instead of shifting the blame on consumers, why don't we talk about:
📌 100 companies responsible for 71% of GHG emissions
📌 20 companies responsible for 55% of plastic waste
📌 USD 1 trillion in fossil fuel subsidies in 2022
Does this mean you should just sit back and let "someone" handle it?
Of course not! You can have a real impact if you:
✅ Demand action
✅ Get organised
✅ Get engaged
In your workplace, community, or politically.
We need systemic, structural change. Now.
Not another 10 years of green consumerism.
Thoughts?
#cop28#climatechange#sustainability
In honor of Women's History Month, I want to share some data points from the chapter, "Listen to Women", in "The Soul of Wealth."
The long and short of it: Women are the ultimate behavioral investors, but no one (not even most women), believes it. The data shows that:
- Women generate higher investment returns than men at both the retail and professional level.
- Women trade less, take a more measured approach, and are more likely to stick to long-term plans.
- During bear markets, women outperform men by 1.3 percentage points, according to Openfolio
Yet, despite their superior track record:
- Only 18% of CFA charterholders are women
- 82% of married men report handling big investment decisions alone
- 40% of female investors say advisors ignore their input
Even women underestimate themselves.
- Only 9% of women think they’re better investors than men—despite the overwhelming data proving otherwise
- Women are twice as likely as men to describe themselves as “financially insecure” regardless of actual income
Meanwhile, firms with more women in leadership outperform their peers:
- Gender-diverse teams make better M&A decisions with lower failure rates
- Companies with higher female representation see stronger financial performance over time
Let's start to tell a new story about women and money that's based in fact and not old, biased thinking.
This is why Gen Z isn’t buying your insurance.
It’s not because they’re careless.
It’s because they don’t see the value, yet.
Here’s what’s pushing them away:
1/ The messaging is stuck in the past.
→ “Protect your legacy” means nothing to a 25-year-old.
→ Try: “Cover your rent if life throws a curveball.”
2/ The buying journey feels broken.
→ Endless forms. No clarity. No control.
→ They expect to buy in minutes, not sit through a call.
3/ Jargon kills trust.
→ Terms like “riders,” “cash value,” and “beneficiaries” lose them fast.
→ Speak like a friend, not a textbook.
4/ They're not scared of risk—they plan around it.
→ Don’t sell fear. Sell flexibility.
→ Help them prepare instead of panicking.
5/ One-size-fits-all doesn’t work anymore.
→ They want plans that grow with them.
→ From gig workers to digital nomads—lifestyles vary.
6/ They research everything.
→ If your online reviews are weak or missing, it matters.
→ Social proof > sales pitch.
7/ Purpose matters more than product.
→ Show how insurance empowers freedom, not just protection.
8/ They value transparency over tradition.
→ Break down costs. Show where the money goes.
→ No fine print. No fluff.
If the industry doesn’t adapt, it’ll lose relevance.
Not because the product failed
But because the delivery did.
Data in isolation vs. data from multiple touchpoints: the power of a holistic perspective!
5 years ago, we analysed purchase patterns and digital conversations for denim category in India.
Since May 1873, men’s denims have dominated the market.
Data suggested that Women were buying male denims.
As a single data point, the initial analysis was women were buying for the men in the house
However, by connecting insights from retail trends, behavioural data and social media conversations, we discovered that women were buying men’s jeans for themselves due to inconvenient smaller pockets in women's collection.
This insight led to the #PowerPockets range with a small design change for Flying Machine, addressing a fashion bias, by introducing denims with deeper pockets for women - an idea that consumers loved.
At GIPSI, Tonic Worldwide’s research arm, we connect fragmented data to uncover meaningful insights. Deep listening often leads to strategies that address real consumer needs.
Anjali Malthankar#GIPSI#ConsumerInsights#DataMatters#PowerPockets
Holiday 2025 will be the most AI-driven season in marketing history and it will separate winners from losers.
The winners won’t just use AI to write email copy. They’ll use AI to make their entire marketing smarter.
Here are 5 AI plays brands should use this holiday season 👇
1. Predictive Offers, Not Blanket Discounts
AI models can forecast which customers respond to free shipping, which convert on BOGO, and which only buy when bundles are suggested. Stop blasting 50% off to everyone. Start sending the right incentive to the right inbox.
2. Dynamic Content at Scale
Every customer sees a different holiday email.
AI swaps banners, CTAs, and product blocks in real time: so a parent browsing kids’ toys gets gift guides for toddlers, while a frequent traveler sees deals on travel accessories.
3. Creative Variations, On Brand
AI generates dozens of subject lines, headers, and layouts but within your brand guardrails.
Run 10 experiments in the time it once took to draft 1. Let data, not guesswork, pick the winners.
4. Cross-Channel Orchestration
Email isn’t in isolation. AI coordinates timing across SMS, push, and ads: so the customer who just got a gift reminder in their inbox isn’t spammed with the same offer everywhere else.
5. Fatigue Detection & Smart Suppression
Your best customers are also on 20 other mailing lists. AI tracks engagement signals and you should monitor send frequency before they hit unsubscribe: critical in December when inboxes are chaos.
The takeaway: Holiday inboxes in 2025 will be noisier than ever. You won’t win by shouting louder.
You will win by making every email smarter, faster, and more personal and relevant for users. Add value to users life and make it easy for them to make a decision.
At Mailmodo, we’re watching this shift unfold daily.
The brands leaning into AI this season aren’t just boosting CTRs: they’re creating holiday experiences customers actually look forward to.
What would you add to this list? Drop your own AI holiday hacks in the comments 👇